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Wednesday, December 31, 2014

As we bid farewell to 2014 today, I'm reminded of the importance of making a memorable exit. Preferably a graceful one, although we all know that sometimes that isn't the case ;)

Creatively, this year has been my most thrilling yet. I've been humbled time and time again by the kindness and friendship I've encountered from souls all across the globe. The sharing of personal journeys, compassion during painful times, and inappropriate hilarity over silly stupid stuff. And all from just jewelry! I'm not talking about tackling world hunger or making peace between warring nations - simply putting beauty into the hands of individuals, one by one, piece by piece.

So while I sometimes feel petty and materialistic for being so obsessive over jewelry, I quickly remind myself that it's about so much more than bead hoarding or shnazzy techniques or the biggest bling. The happiness you bring to others' lives is immeasurably priceless. Because in the end, this life is all we have, and love is the only thing that matters. Well now that I've gotten all philosophical and misty-eyed, let me get back to my original thought about leaving with a bang.

This pair of earrings is 100% party and will have people remembering you for all the right reasons. I dare anyone to make yummier lampwork glass headpins than my dear, dear friend Kim of NuminosityBeads. This sleek drippy slate gray pair has been dotted with gemmy confetti, crowned with a stack of crusty Roman glass discs, and wire wrapped for a slinky yet playful silhouette.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

A couple of weeks ago, as my husband and I ventured out to Alberta to run errands in a larger city center before Christmas, I was delighted to see Hoarfrost or White Frost in the trees lining the road.

It was a little bit eery and magical at the same time, and I took lots of pictures for inspiration :)

And these are the Winter White Frost Earrings I've designed...

White Frost has such a cool look, with its white needles and lines, I wanted to recreate that texture and feel in the Sterling Silver sheet metal that I've cut and used in this design.

Using a couple of different hammers, I've manually created this texture which reminds me of the frost, and I've used an antique finish to bring out the details.

These earrings feature a gorgeous chunky pair of faceted "blue flash" Rainbow Moonstones, which capture the eery bluish light of the frost in the early morning light... it's a bit difficult to capture on camera, but you can see some of that blue flash in this image:

These are a really gorgeous pair of Moonstones, loaded with beautiful feminine positive energy...

I have not yet listed these on my website, as I'm taking a bit of time off for the holidays, but you will soon be able to purchase them on my website: Nathalie Lesage Jewelry.

Friday, December 26, 2014

When I sat down to create a pair of earrings this week for today's post, I had planned on something a bit more festive or perhaps sparkly...since New Years Eve is coming up but I guess my muse had other plans. I was inspired by these Bubby & McGurk beads and so I just went with it. I really prefer the Bohemian look these days to anything else.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Here is some mixed metal finery for you to enjoy while you hide from the in-laws this Christmas morn! Cast brass-over-pewter discs by Mykonos via Stinky Dog Beads, a pair of my poppy caps in copper, and sterling silver earwires, spruced up with brass beads and copper wire.

Sam the Snowman's "Silver and Gold" song from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie is stuck in my head right now. And if you're old enough, it's stuck in your head now too. Sorry.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

"But winter darkness has a positive side to it. As we gather to
celebrate the first turn from winter to spring, we are invited to
recognize and honor the beauty in the often unwanted season of winter.
Let us invite our hearts to be glad for the courage winter proclaims.
Let us be grateful for the wisdom winter brings in teaching us about the
need for withdrawal as an essential part of renewal. Let us also
encourage our spirits as Earth prepares to come forth from this time of
withdrawal into a season filled with light." from The Circle Of Life by Joyce Rupp and Macrina Wiederkehr.

We've just passed the Winter Solstice and the days will be getting longer now in the Northern Hemisphere. The trees are bare, and still I am drawn to the colors of the forests. The deep green and rich browns catch my attention everywhere I look.

These earrings are my courage of winter, my gratitude for the wisdom and my retreat from the light.

These charm earrings feature a gorgeous pair of handmade glazed ceramic discs made by our wonderful Cindy Pack of ArtAndSoulJewelry.com - I managed to snatch these beauties up recently and couldn't wait to work with them.

I have wire-wrapped the discs with sterling silver and copper wire, and suspended some Olivine and Topaz color Swarovski Crystals to add some sparkles (it's the holidays after all!!) and various copper and sterling accents... and a pair of my handmade sterling silver ear wires.

I'll be adding these and other jewelry (including some of my famous Trees of Life) after the holidays. I'm taking a break for a couple of weeks, working on updating my website to kick off 2015 with new designs and surprises.

Friday, December 19, 2014

This video is just mesmerizing to me. I can watch it over and over again. If I worked at this company I would never get anything done!

The kinetic movement is so very intriguing. So that is what I was trying to capture with my earrings. But of course earrings are the perfect kinetic structures with their dangles and moving parts. And the very neutral color palette forced me to think more about the way the pieces interacted and less on the balance of the colors and how they work together.

The first thing that caught my eye in this video are the round wooden balls that are suspended. I remembered that I had this strand of stone beads (no idea what kind) that I picked up at the Bead & Button show someplace. They have the perfect coloration and mottling like the balls in the sculpture. I knew that I wanted to keep it simple and suspend them on some hammered steel paddles. I made the ear wires too, but they are in the wrong gauge wire, too thick for my ears. So I will have to swap them out. But they reminded me of a Galileo's pendulum. Simple and unadorned, the movement is what speaks for them.

Do you recall that point in the video when the balls are suspended in the air and you can spot a labyrinth or a flower shape if you are in the exact right viewing spot? That is what I was trying to achieve with these. I call them "moveō" which is Latin for 'I move.' These took a lot of engineering (and a lot of swearing) to get them to hang just right. They look great dangling, but don't drop them! I suspect that these would be the kind of earrings that would be eternally tangled in your jewelry box that you never wear them.But I do like the way they have this suspended look and the motion.

I am a big fan of watching shows where they show you the inner workings of the factory. I love to see how the conveyor belts move and see all the parts work together to get the job done. In the video, I found it just as fascinating to watch the inner workings of the mechanism that moved all the pieces as I did watching those balls morph in mid-air. All those miles of cable, all those little spools and smooth running gears. Fascinating! I tried to recreate that by making an assemblage of cogs and gears. That chain is my absolutely all time favorite. I have been seeking spools of this for years. I find it in little bits at craft stores and I always buy all they have. Wish I could find a larger supply! I love the dark and the light of it. These earrings called 'Working Parts' have a decidedly industrial feel but with an Art Deco flair. What is it about this video that fascinated you?

That's it for me. I hope that you enjoyed this month's inspiration and could find the time to play along. The InLinkz code will be open for one week in case you want to come back and add your link. I will see you on Friday, Jaunary 2nd for our next We're All Ears inspiration.

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

How is everyone faring up? Done your last craft fairs? Got your shopping sorted? On top of your handmade gifts and commissions? On the craft fair front, I was very lazy this year. I just did the one regular one that takes place in my town. It's actually a monthly market which I do all through the year but the December one is always a big Christmas-ified event. My pitch is about 200 metres from my front door so that cuts out a lot of the stress. Forgotten something? Need to grab a drink? Sorted! And yet, I still manage to get stressed in the run up to it. I try to get myself prepared in advance so that I don't have any prep to do the day before, so I can just relax and stuff. I did that this time but I found myself, the day before, thinking, 'Argh! I need to make x and y and z!'. Because, surely, there will be customers there wanting x and y and z. One thing that seemed vital was some relatively simple earrings with some particularly winning lampwork beads. I surveyed my stash and came across these beauties that I got some considerable time ago from Magdalena Ruiz.

I think I was hoarding them because really I wanted them for me, if I'm totally honest. Anyway, in my pre-market flap, I decided they needed to be pressed into service. I'd just received a super little grab bag of assorted bronze lovelies from Lesley Watt, so I decide to team a pair of her charms with the lampwork. I finished by adding some toning czech glass.

It is a pretty simple design, but I often find that those are the things that sell at craft fairs, especially when it comes to earrings. Simple or not, I really like them, and - would you believe it? - that shopper in desperate need of lampwork earrings never showed up.

So, these are now available here in my Etsy shop. Mind you, I am quite tempted to keep them for me. Maybe it was meant to be? If they don't go this quarter......

Before I go, a quick reminder: tomorrow is the day of the monthly We're All Ears blog hop. You can read all about the challenge and how to take part here. There's still time to get some earrings made!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

I don't know about you guys, but I get all warm and fuzzy inside when I think about a nice fluffy blanket of pure white snow on Christmas morning. A soggy, gray, 40F day just won't cut it. I need icicles hanging on the eaves, biting cold, frozen breath, and plenty of quiet crystalline snow.

Well, here in Ohio it's not looking very festive weather-wise. Granted, Christmas is a week away, but I'm hoping we can get our act together and get some snow on the ground in time for the holiday festivities. Today's earrings are another in my series of "polybells" that I form out of polymer clay, texture, hand paint, and then seal. This pair just shimmers with snowy white, a lacy texture, kisses of silver, and a raggedy edge. And they're lightweight like you wouldn't believe - like wearing snowflakes on your ears. Finished off with a pair of my extra long copper ear wires, and you'll look like a Snow Queen. OK, perhaps not, but at least you'll be properly festive! Happy Wednesday and Happy Holidays!!!NikkiLoveRoot on Etsy

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

If the "spirit of the season" is eluding you, maybe some color will give your mood a boost? When I am wishing I had more energy, and I am just not into it, bright colors are my natural antidepressant. My earrings this week are made with colorful hammer faceted sky blue and lime green agate stones from Beads of Cambay, combined with faceted orange carnelian and copper accents. The oxidized copper wire wrap extends down the back of the stones for reinforcement, because the small holes in the stones will only allow for 24 gauge wire. My ear wires are hand formed from heavier oxidized copper wire, continuing the rustic character of the design.

Agnes Land "Turmalin" 2008

Whether or not you are a fan of abstract painting, you cannot argue that the colors in this piece are uplifting and motivating. Much as I adore earth tones, sometimes I just need to break away and infuse some vivid colors into my work and this is the perfect inspiration for me.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Even though my husband makes lampwork beads, I do buy lampwork beads from other artists on occasion and I have some favorite bead makers. Nikki Thornburg is one of them and I am happy to call her a friend as well. I bought these at the last show I attended a month or two ago along with several more of her fun beads and pendants! You can check out her Etsy site Thornburg Bead Studio and find some of her colorful work there.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

I have been trying to force myself to use yellow--and not cheat, and use "mustard," or "saffron," or "butterscotch" and try to claim it's yellow--I mean, real, honest-to-God YELLOW. As in Tweety Bird. As in Big Bird. As in Sponge Bob. And here is me, above, using African recycled glass discs in Minion Yellow. I combined them with cool ice blue African recycled glass tulip beads, stacking them for a little more drama (and hey! Petticoats!) Just the two colors together seemed a little lonely, so I added some Indonesian glass beads in turquoise. I love these three colors together. There is something French Country about it that seems to make the yellow go down better.

I capped the yellow glass discs with rustic petaled beadcaps in sterling silver, and capped the petticoats with a pair of my own embossed sterling caps; each petticoat is fastened to the glass disc via one of my sterling silver paddle headpins. I made--as is my habit--the earwires myself and added a couple more turquoise glass beads to pull it all together.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

A friend and I recently went to a gem and bead show. I didn't really need any new beads, but I was looking forward to spending the day with my friend. I did try to exercise some restraint, but of course I did not leave empty handed.

So for today's earrings, I wanted to use some of my newly purchased treasures. The wooden beads were inexpensive and had nice grooves all around. I think the beads below the wood beads are made of bone, but I'm not sure. The minute I saw them I knew they'd be an ideal shape and size for earrings.

The fabulous textured spikes were made by Marsha Neal. The coral colored spikes really make the dots on the bone beads pop.

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Monday, December 8, 2014

On Saturday, I had the chance to participate in a local Arts & Crafts Sale. It was wonderful to meet local women and their families, and get their feedback on my work.

I haven't had the chance to participate in such events too often in the past, but I do my best to join in the fun as often as I can. There's absolutely NOTHING more precious than receiving real-time, face-to-face feedback from potential buyers.

And inspired by their feedback, and by the beautiful Winter Moon that greeted me on Sunday morning, I have designed these pretty Tanzanite Earrings:

The women that I spoke with mentioned that they loved gemstone earrings, but that they preferred shorter, more delicate designs (shorter than 2" in total), and it dawned on me that a lot of the earrings I've been making lately were longer than 2".

It really doesn't take much to get over 2" in length, counting the ear wires.... So I listened to them, and came up with these lightweight little hoops :)

Yesterday morning, when I woke up, I opened the bedroom window's blinds, and found this bright (almost) full moon, greeting me, and the sky had beautiful painted wisps of lavender, light blue and pink. It was such a beautiful sight.

I knew right there and then that I had to make earrings inspired by that gift from nature.

I really had a great time meeting everyone at the show on the weekend. If you don't normally do Arts & Craft Sales, I encourage you to go out and meet women and ask for feedback on your designs. Sometimes, they see something that we don't...

Friday, December 5, 2014

'All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream." ~Edgar Allen PoeLast month was a whole lot of fun to see how you translated an animated short into an array of beautiful earrings. I hope you don't mind that I am inclined to bring in another little short film to inspire you!

I stumbled on this amazing art installation and just knew that it had to be our inspiration. This type of art is called anamorphic, a form of perspective. Anamorphic art uses a "distorted projection or perspective requiring the viewer to use special
devices or occupy a specific vantage point to reconstitute the image.
The word "anamorphosis" is derived from the Greek prefix ana-, meaning back or again, and the word morphe, meaning shape or form" (source:Wikipedia). Each anamorphic image is special and distinct and has it's own way to be looked at. You need to look and be surprised by the distortion of your expectations.

Breaking Wave tells the story of the search for patterns, and the
surprising results that come by changing our point of view. 804
suspended spheres move in a wave-like formation. When the wave crests
and breaks, the balls hover momentarily in a cloud.

From almost anywhere
in the room, this cloud is purely chaotic, but step into one of two
hidden spots, and this apparent chaos shows a hidden pattern.

From the
first, a labyrinth hints at the search for knowledge, and from the
second, a Fibonacci spiral inspired flower reminds us of the natural
order and patterns found in nature.

Above the sculpture lies the mechanism that drives its motion. A
motor drives a large rotating stainless steel cam. Thirty-six rollers follow the
contour of the cam, which traces out the overall waveform. Each roller
slides on a linear track, pulling a cable that spins one of the 36
output shafts. Distributed along each shaft are different sized drums
from which the wooden sphere (coated in zinc and steel, and then rusted
chemically) are hung. As the shafts rotate, the drums pull the balls up
and down – larger drums pull balls higher. In this way, the size of the
804 drums mechanically programs the images hidden in the cloud of balls. The piece was built with many
hands, and several miles of wire rope (source: Hypersonic).

Watch the short video if you can (make it full screen by clicking the little X shape in the bottom right corner for maximum impact!). I love seeing the undulating waves that these little wooden spheres create. And even more fascinating to me is watching the gears and cogs of the mechanism that makes the sculpture come to life.

Earrings are, by their very nature, little kinetic sculptures. They move and dangle and can be different when viewed from alternate angles. More than any other jewelry, earrings are easy to play with motion and patterns and illusion. Keeping color to a minimum, will help you emphasize the structure and the movement. I hope you will explore this with your earrings this month!

Thursday, December 4, 2014

I have a hectic time on my hands this week. I have a big Christmas craft fair on Sunday, for which I still want to make some pieces. I also still have all that tedious prep to do - price tags, table plans, etc., etc... I also intend to get three firings done this week (along with a lot of glazing). I then have to try to get a heap of beads photographed and listed as soon as I can after the fair. So, this is going to be a super brief post. Making these earrings is becoming something of an annual tradition.

These marvellous lampwork polar bears are made by Madeline Bunyan. I've paired them with some ice-like crackled quartz.

I sold a couple of pairs at the weekend and don't have any available at the moment but I'm hoping to get some more made in time for Christmas shoppers. So, that's another task on my list!

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Welcome

Earrings Everyday hopes to inspire those who make earrings and adorn those who love to wear them!

You'll find a new pair of earrings featured from our shops each weekday. Find out the designer's inspiration and styling tips behind their creations.

Please Note:

All earrings shown on this blog are copyright protected by the designer. We are offering the designs as a jumping point for your own inspirations, but please respect our creative talents - and your own - and do not copy these designs to offer them for sale.